The cover of The Language of Bugs by Zhu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Another tale highlights his innovative approach. He designed a cinema "about bugs and for bugs" as part of a public art project held in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, this spring. The man-made ant hill hosts a mini screen showing a short film about insects. It plays to an audience of bugs, while giant humans have to peep in from outside if they want to watch.

There's more. Last year he opened a bug-themed bookstore and display space by the picturesque Xuanwu Lake that he designed in collaboration with the Librairie Avant-Garde Bookshop. Additionally, a museum with a focus on bugs is expected to be set up in Nanjing.